Aromatic alkylation process using large macropore, small particle size, zeolite catalyst

Abstract

An aromatic alkylation process comprising the steps of contacting a hydrocarbon feed comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon with an alkylating agent under liquid phase alkylation condition in the presence of a silica-containing molecular sieve wherein said said catalyst possesses a pore volume of about 0.25-0.50 cc/g in pores having a radius greater than 450 Angstroms and a catalyst particle diameter of not more than about 1/32 of an inch.

We claim: 
     
       1. An aromatic alkylation process comprising the steps of contacting a feedstock comprising aromatic hydrocarbons with an alkylating agent under liquid phase alkylation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising a silica-containing molecular sieve in a porous refractory inorganic matrix wherein said catalyst possesses a pore volume of about 0.25-0.50 cc/g in pores having a radius greater than about 450 Angstroms and a catalyst particle diameter of not more than about 1/40 of inch, said catalyst being employed in a plurality of solid, porous containers disposed in a fixed-bed, reactive-distillation reactor. 
     
     
       2. A method of claim 1 wherein said alkylating agent comprises an olefinic hydrocarbon. 
     
     
       3. A method of claim 2 wherein said olefinic hydrocarbon comprises an olefinic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of ethylene and propylene. 
     
     
       4. A method of claim 1 wherein said aromatic hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, and xylene. 
     
     
       5. A method of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite. 
     
     
       6. A method of claim 5 wherein the zeolite is selected from the group consisting of a Y zeolite and a beta zeolite. 
     
     
       7. A method of claim 1 wherein the pore volume is about 0.25-0.35 cc/g. 
     
     
       8. A method of claim 7 wherein the pore volume is about 0.30-0.35 cc/g. 
     
     
       9. A method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst particle diameter is not more than about 1/64 of an inch. 
     
     
       10. A method of claim 9 wherein the catalyst particle diameter is not more than about 1/100 of an inch. 
     
     
       11. An aromatic alkylation process comprising the steps of contacting a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, and xylene with an alkylating agent comprising an olefinic hydrocarbon under liquid continuous phase alkylation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite in a matrix selected from the group consisting of silica and alumina wherein said catalyst possesses a pore volume of about 0.25-0.35 cc/g in pores having a radius greater than 450 Angstroms and a catalyst particle diameter of not more than about 1/64 of an inch, said catalyst being employed in a plurality of solid, porous containers disposed in a fixed-bed reactive-distillation reactor. 
     
     
       12. A method of claim 11 wherein said olefinic hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of ethylene and propylene. 
     
     
       13. A method of claim 11 wherein said zeolite comprises an beta zeolite. 
     
     
       14. A method of claim 11 wherein the macropore volume is about 0.30-0.35 cc/g. 
     
     
       15. A method of claim 11 wherein the catalyst particle diameter is not more than about 1/100 of an inch. 
     
     
       16. An aromatic alkylation process comprising the steps of contacting a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, and xylene with an alkylating agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene and propylene under liquid continuous phase alkylation conditions in the presence of catalyst consisting essentially of beta zeolite in a matrix consisting essentially of alumina wherein said catalyst possesses a pore volume of about 0.30-0.35 cc/g in pores having a radius greater than about 450 Angstroms and a catalyst particle diameter of not more than about 1/100 of an inch, said catalyst being employed in a plurality of solid porous containers disposed in a fixed-bed, reactive-distillation reactor.